AES E-Library

AES E-Library

Synthetic Ambience in Parametric Stereo Coding

Parametric stereo coding in combination with an efficient coder for the
underlying monaural audio signal results in the most efficient coding scheme for
stereo signals at very low bit rates available today. While techniques for lateral
localization have been studied since early intensity stereo coding tools,
synthesis of stereophonic ambience was only recently applied in parametric
stereo coding systems. This paper studies different techniques for synthetic
ambience generation in the context of parametric stereo coding systems and
discusses their mono-compatibility. Implementations of these techniques in
combination with mp3PRO and aacPlus are presented together with
experimental results.